1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves;
2 let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to edify him.
3 For Christ did not please himself; but, as it is written, "The reproaches of those who reproached thee fell on me."
4 For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope.
5 May the God of steadfastness and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus,
6 that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
7 Welcome one another, therefore, as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God.
8 For I tell you that Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God's truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarchs,
9 and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy. As it is written, "Therefore I will praise thee among the Gentiles, and sing to thy name";
10 and again it is said, "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people";
11 and again, "Praise the Lord, all Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise him";
12 and further Isaiah says, "The root of Jesse shall come, he who rises to rule the Gentiles; in him shall the Gentiles hope."
13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
14 I myself am satisfied about you, my brethren, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, and able to instruct one another.
15 But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder, because of the grace given me by God
16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God, so that the offering of the Gentiles may be acceptable, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.
17 In Christ Jesus, then, I have reason to be proud of my work for God.
18 For I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has wrought through me to win obedience from the Gentiles, by word and deed,
19 by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Holy Spirit, so that from Jerusalem and as far round as Illyr'icum I have fully preached the gospel of Christ,
20 thus making it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on another man's foundation,
21 but as it is written, "They shall see who have never been told of him, and they shall understand who have never heard of him."
22 This is the reason why I have so often been hindered from coming to you.
23 But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you,
24 I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be sped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a little.
25 At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem with aid for the saints.
26 For Macedo'nia and Acha'ia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem;
27 they were pleased to do it, and indeed they are in debt to them, for if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings.
28 When therefore I have completed this, and have delivered to them what has been raised, I shall go on by way of you to Spain;
29 and I know that when I come to you I shall come in the fulness of the blessing of Christ.
30 I appeal to you, brethren, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to strive together with me in your prayers to God on my behalf,
31 that I may be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea, and that my service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints,
32 so that by God's will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company.
33 The God of peace be with you all. Amen.
1 οφειλομεν δε ημεις οι δυνατοι τα ασθενηματα των αδυνατων βασταζειν και μη εαυτοις αρεσκειν
2 εκαστος γαρ ημων τω πλησιον αρεσκετω εις το αγαθον προς οικοδομην
3 και γαρ ο χριστος ουχ εαυτω ηρεσεν αλλα καθως γεγραπται οι ονειδισμοι των ονειδιζοντων σε επεπεσον επ εμε
4 οσα γαρ προεγραφη εις την ημετεραν διδασκαλιαν προεγραφη ινα δια της υπομονης και της παρακλησεως των γραφων την ελπιδα εχωμεν
5 ο δε θεος της υπομονης και της παρακλησεως δωη υμιν το αυτο φρονειν εν αλληλοις κατα χριστον ιησουν
6 ινα ομοθυμαδον εν ενι στοματι δοξαζητε τον θεον και πατερα του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου
7 διο προσλαμβανεσθε αλληλους καθως και ο χριστος προσελαβετο ημας εις δοξαν θεου
8 λεγω δε ιησουν χριστον διακονον γεγενησθαι περιτομης υπερ αληθειας θεου εις το βεβαιωσαι τας επαγγελιας των πατερων
9 τα δε εθνη υπερ ελεους δοξασαι τον θεον καθως γεγραπται δια τουτο εξομολογησομαι σοι εν εθνεσιν και τω ονοματι σου ψαλω
10 και παλιν λεγει ευφρανθητε εθνη μετα του λαου αυτου
11 και παλιν αινειτε τον κυριον παντα τα εθνη και επαινεσατε αυτον παντες οι λαοι
12 και παλιν ησαιας λεγει εσται η ριζα του ιεσσαι και ο ανισταμενος αρχειν εθνων επ αυτω εθνη ελπιουσιν
13 ο δε θεος της ελπιδος πληρωσαι υμας πασης χαρας και ειρηνης εν τω πιστευειν εις το περισσευειν υμας εν τη ελπιδι εν δυναμει πνευματος αγιου
14 πεπεισμαι δε αδελφοι μου και αυτος εγω περι υμων οτι και αυτοι μεστοι εστε αγαθωσυνης πεπληρωμενοι πασης γνωσεως δυναμενοι και αλληλους νουθετειν
15 τολμηροτερον δε εγραψα υμιν αδελφοι απο μερους ως επαναμιμνησκων υμας δια την χαριν την δοθεισαν μοι υπο του θεου
16 εις το ειναι με λειτουργον ιησου χριστου εις τα εθνη ιερουργουντα το ευαγγελιον του θεου ινα γενηται η προσφορα των εθνων ευπροσδεκτος ηγιασμενη εν πνευματι αγιω
17 εχω ουν καυχησιν εν χριστω ιησου τα προς θεον
18 ου γαρ τολμησω λαλειν τι ων ου κατειργασατο χριστος δι εμου εις υπακοην εθνων λογω και εργω
19 εν δυναμει σημειων και τερατων εν δυναμει πνευματος θεου ωστε με απο ιερουσαλημ και κυκλω μεχρι του ιλλυρικου πεπληρωκεναι το ευαγγελιον του χριστου
20 ουτως δε φιλοτιμουμενον ευαγγελιζεσθαι ουχ οπου ωνομασθη χριστος ινα μη επ αλλοτριον θεμελιον οικοδομω
21 αλλα καθως γεγραπται οις ουκ ανηγγελη περι αυτου οψονται και οι ουκ ακηκοασιν συνησουσιν
22 διο και ενεκοπτομην τα πολλα του ελθειν προς υμας
23 νυνι δε μηκετι τοπον εχων εν τοις κλιμασιν τουτοις επιποθιαν δε εχων του ελθειν προς υμας απο πολλων ετων
24 ως εαν πορευωμαι εις την σπανιαν ελευσομαι προς υμας ελπιζω γαρ διαπορευομενος θεασασθαι υμας και υφ υμων προπεμφθηναι εκει εαν υμων πρωτον απο μερους εμπλησθω
25 νυνι δε πορευομαι εις ιερουσαλημ διακονων τοις αγιοις
26 ευδοκησαν γαρ μακεδονια και αχαια κοινωνιαν τινα ποιησασθαι εις τους πτωχους των αγιων των εν ιερουσαλημ
27 ευδοκησαν γαρ και οφειλεται αυτων εισιν ει γαρ τοις πνευματικοις αυτων εκοινωνησαν τα εθνη οφειλουσιν και εν τοις σαρκικοις λειτουργησαι αυτοις
28 τουτο ουν επιτελεσας και σφραγισαμενος αυτοις τον καρπον τουτον απελευσομαι δι υμων εις την σπανιαν
29 οιδα δε οτι ερχομενος προς υμας εν πληρωματι ευλογιας του ευαγγελιου του χριστου ελευσομαι
30 παρακαλω δε υμας αδελφοι δια του κυριου ημων ιησου χριστου και δια της αγαπης του πνευματος συναγωνισασθαι μοι εν ταις προσευχαις υπερ εμου προς τον θεον
31 ινα ρυσθω απο των απειθουντων εν τη ιουδαια και ινα η διακονια μου η εις ιερουσαλημ ευπροσδεκτος γενηται τοις αγιοις
32 ινα εν χαρα ελθω προς υμας δια θεληματος θεου και συναναπαυσωμαι υμιν
33 ο δε θεος της ειρηνης μετα παντων υμων αμην